Generator — Summer 2023

Top left: The state of the former
Citizens State Bank before restoration
work.
Top: The Vault on Main owner Jamie
Olmer talking about her project at a
Community Builders meeting in March.
Left: One of the first projects Olmer
tackled was replacing the roof of the
building.
CITIZENS STATE BANK HISTORY
Citizens State Bank was established
in 1898. It grew rapidly and broke
ground for a new building in 1920,
holding an open house in 1921.
The new bank was “one of the
most modern and up-to-date bank
buildings in this part of Nebraska,”
according to the Creston Statesman.
It featured mahogany and marble
throughout its interior.
The bank also featured a terra
cotta exterior. By the 1920s, terra
cotta was becoming more and more
popular with architects because
it was fireproof, economical, and
lightweight. It was also easier and
cheaper than carving stone.
But the bank’s opulence and
customers could not save it from the
Great Depression and it closed in 1931.
The bank continued to own the
building until 1940 when it was sold
by public auction to the Village of
Creston for $102.50. It had a variety of
uses until 1946 when it was purchased
by a local family and turned into a
meat locker. Farmers Cooperative Oil
Company bought the building in 1964
and used it for feed storage. Korth
bought it in 2005 along with some
adjoining buildings. It was unused and
empty.
NATIONAL REGISTER
Right after buying the building,
Olmer began steps to get it listed
on the National Register of Historic
Places.
She visited the Nebraska State
Historical Society and the State
Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
Olmer explained that she was trying
to dig up information on a building in
a really small town. A SHPO employee
there said they had an inventory of
historically significant buildings
throughout the state and they may
have information.
“Not knowing how rare and unique
of a building this really was, I was
sure they would not have a file on it,”
Olmer said. “I stressed that this was a
building in a very small town.”
But as soon as she said “Creston”
she learned about the significance of
her small-town building.
“The wedding cake?” the employee
exclaimed and got the attention of
everyone in the office who wanted to
know her plans for the building.
Olmer learned that the bank
was designed by famous architect
Frederick W. Clarke of Omaha.
“There are plenty of buildings clad
in terra cotta, but this one has two full
sides, an enormous amount of detail,
and color,” Olmer said.
Most other terra cotta buildings
in the state, such as Union Station
(now Durham Museum) in Omaha are
monotone. The Creston bank is mostly
white, but with striking color accents.
The façade features colorful lions’
heads and floral swags. A large arch
and columns flank the front door.
“The details for the lions and the eagle
are just amazing,” Olmer said.
RESTORATION
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic
gave Olmer the extra time to begin
restoring the building.
The obvious first step was a new
roof which involved replacing the
north wall of the building. Then came
the fun stuff — tearing out 18 inches
of cement and filler on top of the
original floor that was put in for the
meat locker.
SUMMER 2023 | 5